


One Arrow

by Cloud_Nine



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types
Genre: AU Ending for the Hunger Games, F/M, Gen, Mentioned Canonical Character Death, Muttations, Possible Trigger for Being Mauled by Dogs, Prolonged death scene, not edited
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-09
Updated: 2013-12-09
Packaged: 2018-01-04 03:23:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1075944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cloud_Nine/pseuds/Cloud_Nine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Softer and softer still, each noise became. Softer, fainter, until finally, gone. Done. No more. A canon sounded. Dead. Peeta Mellark was dead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Arrow

Katniss wasn’t sure how long they made her listen to his screams. How he begged her to kill him, how he cried out for everyone, his brother’s, his father, his mother, for her. Katniss sobbed and begged for another arrow, screamed herself hoarse for Haymitch to send her one, just one single arrow. Cato had fallen and Katniss had quickly put him out his misery, not expecting for her boy with the bread to fall. Not expecting for the mutts to swarm him, eating his flesh, leaving him screaming for what felt like days. Her last arrow, had been used to spare the heartless Cato, and her precious boy with the bread was suffering for it. 

Katniss had been unable to move, unable to sleep. She begged the game makers to end it, she begged for one last arrow. Begged for mercy, mercy that would never be there. It was punishment. 

Punishment for what she did with Rue, Katniss was sure of it. 

“Haymitch, please!” She cried, flinching with every shout her boy with the bread made. “”One arrow. Please. He doesn’t deserve this!” 

No arrow came. No relief for the boy with the bread or the girl on fire. Just pain. Just suffering. Just horror. 

Katniss wanted to rage, shout hatred at the force that caused the pain and suffering, wanted to cry, but her words got stuck in her throat and her tears had long since dried up. Instead Katniss finally still. The screams of Peeta Mellark, growing ever softer with every one of her breaths. It was almost over.

Softer and softer still, each noise became. Softer, fainter, until finally, gone. Done. No more. A canon sounded. Dead. Peeta Mellark was dead.

Katniss stood not hearing when she was announced the winner of the 74th Hunger Games. No emotion crossed her face when she stepped into the hovercraft to be transported away from the arena. ‘Graveyard,’ her mind whispered, ‘Peeta’s grave.’ Her boy with the bread was gone. The boy she could have never deserved. The boy too good to die screaming in a twisted game for the amusement of a horrid people who craved blood and violence like a babe craved its mother’s milk. 

“Five minutes til landing,” A gruff voice called. Katniss took a moment to prepare herself, she was unsure of just who would greet her when she stepped off the hovercraft. It was the Capitol she would be ready, even in the face of the Peeta’s death she could not risk Prim. She would not endanger the people she loved anymore. People would not suffer because of her. 

The rough motion of the hovercraft landing, did little to help her prepare. More than anything Katniss prays the first face she sees when she steps out of the hovercraft is Haymitch. Her mentor who will know how she feels. A small hate-filled part of her, wants to blame him, for not getting an arrow. For letting him suffer, but she knows it is not his fault. She knows if he could have, Katniss would have been given one within the hour at least. 

The door slides open and thankfully, it’s Haymitch. She wants to run to him, throw her arms around his neck and cry. Inhale his scent, the smell of alcohol, coal dust and home. District 12. The same smell that Peeta had. Instead, she stares at the older man, eyes blank unable to move. 

Luckily Haymitch can move, with a look so much softer than anything she had ever seen grace Haymitch’s face he walks toward her and carefully wraps his arms around her shoulders. Katniss wonders if he knows how much the touch bothers her. How her first instinct is to get as far away from human contact as possible. Another part of her is raging. One arrow. All she needed was one arrow. All Peeta needed was one Arrow. _-Screams. "KILL ME!"-_ Did he know? Did Haymitch understand? Probably. Haymitch has been where she is now. Freshly plucked from the arena. Mind still lost in the haze of blood and screams. _-Peeta’s screams. “Kill me! Katniss PLEASE!”-_

“Let’s get you cleaned, up sweetheart,” Haymitch mutters tugging her ever so gently in the direction of someone Katniss suspects is Cinna. Her wonderful, Cinna, so sympathetic and kind and Capitol. Hatred burned in her chest. Capitol killed Peeta. “Stop it.” Haymitch said suddenly. 

“Why? Why should I?” Katniss hisses fire filling her every being. Girl on fire, she would burn them all. Burn it all. Haymitch tightens his grip and panic shoots through Katniss for a moment her mind slips back to the Games. _-Blood. Hot. Thick. Screams. “Kill me! Katniss! PLease!”-_

“Hey, hey! Stay with me here, sweetheart, pay attention.” Haymitch’s voice is rough and low, nothing like Peeta’s voice. Katniss latches onto that. “You have to remember who the real enemy is here. Cinna is not the enemy.” 

Shame floods her being. She knows this, Cinna, who puts everything into his work, Cinna who made them shine. Slowly and reluctantly she nods. It’s not Cinna’s fault. Katniss feels Haymitch relax and he eagerly leaves her in Cinnas hands with a promise to meet when she’s done. 

Katniss isn’t sure what to do, her shame from before floods her again. Haymitch’s steady presence is gone and she isn’t sure what to do. Cinna seems to realize this and moves first. 

Very, very carefully, the man places his hands on her shoulders. “I always bet on you, Girl on Fire.” He whispers, pulling her to him. There in Cinna’s arms Katniss cries, harsh sobs that tear out of her chest, ripping at her throat. She cries for Peeta. For Rue. For Cato. For Clove. For Foxface. She cries for them all. All of them, all of the children who will never leave the arena. For all of the children whose blood will forever be on her hands. _-”Kill me, Katniss! PLEASE!”-_ Finally, after what seems like years she cries for herself. 

“Come on, Katniss. Let’s get you cleaned up.” Cinna said gently. Katniss let him steer her away from the door, further in the room all the while the screams of the boy with the bread still echoed in her ears.

_KILL ME KATNISS! PLEASE! KILL ME! MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE!_


End file.
